Police chief: Response prevented violent outbreak

Amid an outcry over the police response to a Saturday protest that drew hundreds to downtown Portland, the city’s police chief says officers succeeded because they prevented violence from breaking out between dueling demonstrators.

Chief Danielle Outlaw has acknowledged allegations of injuries suffered as officers cleared streets and fired various crowd-control munitions near crowds of protesters gathered in opposition to a Patriot Prayer rally. And she continued her defense of the Police Bureau on Monday, telling Oregon Public Broadcasting that protesters who didn’t leave after being told to disperse were there for a confrontation.

“People remained, which shows us they had the intent to be there to cause harm,” she said on the news organization’s Think Out Loud program.

Her response comes as police have come under scrutiny for their use of crowd-control munitions on counter-protesters. Multiple people were injured and four arrested. Video footage shows one of them, Tracy L. Molina, being thrown to the ground and arrested after she tried to walk away from police.

She’s now accused of attempted assault on a police officer.

After hours of relative calm, the police response escalated about 2 p.m. Saturday when officers ordered a group of counter-protesters near Southwest Naito Parkway and Columbia Street to disperse. When the group didn’t immediately leave, police fired dozens of flash-bang grenades other crowd-control munitions. Officers rushed toward the crowd, shoving some protesters out of the street.

Police have said protesters had thrown a “chemical agent” and other objects at officers. Outlaw has said any complaints would be forwarded to the Office of Independent Police Review.

Outlaw continued her defense of the Bureau at a news conference Monday afternoon.